The role of earthworms in mercury pollution soil assessment

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant with different highly toxic chemical forms that can be bioaccumulated and biomagnified. Up to now most studies on Hg pollution have focused on aquatic ecosystems, and this is why little information about Hg in terrestrial ecosystems is currently available. However, the impact of Hg pollution on the terrestrial environment and food chain is of great interest for its human health implications. In this context, earthworms, which constitute a major component in soil ecosystems and act as a food source for a wide variety of organisms, are an excellent option to study Hg biochemistry in terrestrial ecosystems. The use of earthworms as bioindicators of Hg soil pollution involves a wide number of variables to be considered since the metal–biota interaction is very complicated in this case. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to review the role of earthworms as bioindicators of Hg pollution in soils.